Jet of Blood – ZOO Charteris

I was saddened that such a horrific true story is given such a disappointing treatment in this production. It lacks choreography to be satisfying as a dance piece, lacks clarity to be physical theatre and lacks narrative drive for drama – all seem to be sacrificed in the attempt to shock, but showing hardcore gay porn on a flimsy screen and repeated mimed rutting did not shock me.

It starts with the female performer wanking in bed – apparently playing a boy, but obviously female. Then the male performer enters and proceeds to have sex with him/her wearing a variety of masks so we never see his face. Is this a variety of people abusing the boy (why cast a woman?), or one man concealing his identity? Sex scenes set to a variety of music brings no explanation. Her question “What do I sing to that?” adds no clues.

Then towards the end, a long monologue for her/him which tells us the story, but too late. She repeats “I'm too tired” - by then so were the audience! Making the storytelling so opaque cost them my sympathy. By the time the truth was revealed, I was beyond caring.

Derek Benfield